Gerst trained on Earth to use all the photo gear at the space station before he launched into orbit.

In addition to being a steady shot, Gerst will be the commander of the Expedition 57 mission aboard the ISS.

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On July 27, 2018 — when the moon was eclipsed by Earth's shadow — Gerst was ready. The core of the planet's shadow, called the umbra, colored the moon red because of the way Earth's atmosphere refracts the sun's light.

Alexander Gerst/European Space Agency

"Just took a photo of the lunar eclipse from the International Space Station. Tricky to capture," Gerst said in a caption for this picture. "The slight hue of blue is actually the Earth's atmosphere, just before the moon is 'diving into it.'"

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The moon was in totality (fully shadowed by the umbra) for nearly an hour and 43 minutes. Views during the partial eclipse, when the moon is in Earth's outer shadow, or penumbra, were equally haunting.